JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida A&M Women's Cross Country kicks off the 2026 campaign with a trip east to Jacksonville, Florida, where the Rattlers will take part in the Florida Intercollegiate Cross Country Invitational hosted by North Florida at Cecil Field.
 
Florida Intercollegiate XC Invitational Preview
 
Friday, September 4, 2026
 
Women's 5K | 6:30 p.m.
 
Live Results
 
Last Time Out
 
The Florida A&M Rattlers women's cross country team turned in a gritty performance at the 2025 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Women's Cross Country Championships, showing both determination and depth as senior leader Tara Bert paced the squad with a top 10 finish.

Bert, a Green Island, Jamaica native, clocked in at 19 minutes, 10.1 seconds, earning seventh place overall in the 5,000-meter race. Her strong finish against a highly competitive field secured valuable points for FAMU and highlighted her steady leadership in her final collegiate season. Bert was also named All-SWAC Second Team due to finishing seventh. 

Freshman Leandra Ferrell also made her championship debut memorable, finishing in 19th place with a time of 20:29.5, showing promise for the program's future. The Rattlers' pack-running strategy kept them competitive against powerhouse programs like Alabama State and Texas Southern, which placed multiple runners in the top 10.

Texas Southern's Alyvia Brown claimed the individual title with an impressive 18:17.8, while Alabama State took home the team championship behind a trio of top five finishers. But for Florida A&M, the day was about progress and pride – proof that the Rattlers' orange and green are climbing fast in the SWAC distance ranks.
 
The Field at the Florida Intercollegiate XC Invitational
 
The field at this year's Florida Intercollegiate Cross Country Invitational features teams from Florida A&M, Florida Gulf Coast, Jacksonville, Miami (Fla.), North Florida, South Florida and others.
 
The Course
 
Cecil Field is home to the North Florida Ospreys.
 
Quotes from Head Coach Tamika Kinchen
"We're excited to finally get the season underway and see how the work we've put in over the last few weeks translates to competition. This group has really started to come together with one another. However, at the same time, they're learning how to work together and make each other better."
 
"Rose has been a consistent presence for us and brings experience and strength to the group. I've also been really encouraged by what we've seen from Nina and Crystal throughout the preseason. Both have shown that they're willing to compete and put themselves in the mix up front. Bree is another athlete who has made noticeable progress over the last couple of weeks and continues to get stronger as her fitness comes along."
 
"In this season opener, I'm less concerned with chasing a specific time, and more interested in seeing how we compete. I want to see us stay connected, be disciplined early, and respond when the race starts to get uncomfortable. This is our starting point, and it'll give us a good indication of where we are and what we need to continue working on as we build towards the [SWAC] Championship potion of the season."
 
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